Scouting Rockets-Pacers

1Full speed ahead: The Pacers have been the league's best defensive team throughout the season and are especially strong in the halfcourt when they can set their defense and build it around Roy Hibbert inside. The Rockets averaged just 93 points against them last season, but Wednesday against the Bulls' similarly stingy halfcourt defense, the Rockets created enough pace to get their offense going before the Bulls could set up. The Bulls allow fewer points per game in the paint than any other NBA team, but the Rockets scored 66. The Pacers allow the third fewest - the Rockets score the third most - and the fewest fast-break points.

2Star showdown: Paul George's phenomenal game against James Harden in Indianapolis last season - George scored 31 points while shutting down Harden - was one of the highlights of his breakthrough campaign. In two games against the Pacers, Harden made 25.6 percent of his shots. Harden played well in the preseason meetings in Asia, but his play will be especially crucial on both ends. Harden likely will have to match up on George, rather than Lance Stephenson, on many possessions.

3Familiar faces: Danny Granger, who played just five games last season, is expected to make his long-awaited return, giving the Pacers more firepower off the bench. While Indiana's depth keeps getting better, the Rockets could really miss Omer Asik against the Pacers. Asik had his career-high scoring night against the Pacers. If there's a team against whom Kevin McHale might have been tempted to pair his centers - as he did last season when Greg Smith played off the bench with Asik and had his career-high rebounding game - it would be the Pacers and their muscle of Hibbert and David West.

Jonathan Feigen

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Scouting report: Vs. Indiana

Three things to watch in Friday night's game:

1Full speed ahead: The Pacers have been the league's best defensive team throughout the season and are especially strong in the halfcourt when they can set their defense and build it around Roy Hibbert inside. The Rockets averaged just 93 points against them last season, but Wednesday against the Bulls' similarly stingy halfcourt defense, the Rockets created enough pace to get their offense going before the Bulls could set up. The Bulls allow fewer points per game in the paint than any other NBA team, but the Rockets scored 66. The Pacers allow the third fewest - the Rockets score the third most - and the fewest fast-break points.

2Star showdown: Paul George's phenomenal game against James Harden in Indianapolis last season - George scored 31 points while shutting down Harden - was one of the highlights of his breakthrough campaign. In two games against the Pacers, Harden made 25.6 percent of his shots. Harden played well in the preseason meetings in Asia, but his play will be especially crucial on both ends. Harden likely will have to match up on George, rather than Lance Stephenson, on many possessions.

3Familiar faces: Danny Granger, who played just five games last season, is expected to make his long-awaited return, giving the Pacers more firepower off the bench. While Indiana's depth keeps getting better, the Rockets could really miss Omer Asik against the Pacers. Asik had his career-high scoring night against the Pacers. If there's a team against whom Kevin McHale might have been tempted to pair his centers - as he did last season when Greg Smith played off the bench with Asik and had his career-high rebounding game - it would be the Pacers and their muscle of Hibbert and David West.

Jonathan Feigen

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